Autopsy Cats lose to Lions by 11 points

[you pick one]

Yep, and unfortunately I can't see a remedy for it.
Throw in Cameron going off the boil (averaging four goals a game in rounds one to eight, one a game since) plus injuries/players out of form, and it's really a bit of a miracle we're still in contention for finals.



I do give them credit, but still say we played c**p even when under little or no pressure.

Cameron ain't right wouldn't even surprise me if some minor surgery isn't even required in the off season.

 

[r32godzilla]

Wasted effort. Absolutely murdered in the clearances. Why can't we play like the last quarter all the time?? Take the game on and get it forward at all costs. Its not bloody rocket science. First 2 and a half quarters we just went back into our shells and played slow, fumbly, pea-hearted footy that always costs us.

The margin for error grows ever smaller now. We need to win most of the games left now if we want to secure a spot in the 8. Not an easy task but if we pull the finger out and play to our strengths we can do it. Cmon Cattas lift!!!!

 

[you pick one]

Yep, and unfortunately I can't see a remedy for it.
Throw in Cameron going off the boil (averaging four goals a game in rounds one to eight, one a game since) plus injuries/players out of form, and it's really a bit of a miracle we're still in contention for finals.



I do give them credit, but still say we played c**p even when under little or no pressure.

yeah a couple of bullit like passes from Smith straight to the opposition on a quick break with no Cat anywhere even close are burnt into my memory.

 

[Romeoh1]

Well there's two teams we can draw a line through in terms of having a chance of winning the flag (not that we were a serious chance anyway on our form this year)

We played three of the worst quarters of footy I can recall from us in recent years, yet still almost stole the game with one quarter of decent footy.
Lions, like us (assuming we make it) will just be making up the numbers in September.

All this "our best is good enough" is just delusional now, yes our best from last year would be good enough, but apart from a few instances we haven't come near to replicating that form in 23.

I doubt anyone at the club seriously thinks ‘our best is good enough’. It actually is, but only for 30 minutes-most of the time we can only produce it for the odd quarter here and there and that’s not nearly enough to get the job done against good teams. The season has been a debacle from the get go, and a lot of it beyond our control. I’m amazed we have made it this far and if we make the finals, well let’s hope we make a team earn their spot. I’d be happy to put Carlton or Richmond out of the race and that’d just about do me. Of course they way we are playing, even that’s a long shot unfortunately.

 

[Romeoh1]

yeah a couple of bullit like passes from Smith straight to the opposition on a quick break with no Cat anywhere even close are burnt into my memory.

And Zuthrie did that more than once too I’d have thought.

 

[51niwstac]

If they weren't switched on & ready from the first bounce then they need to have a look at themselves & their preparation

That's my point. Scott gets praise for preparation when the team plays well, but rarely gets fingered when they lack spark. See, if they are such seasoned veterans as you say, why not just wind them up, point them at the field, and go to the beach?

 

[Kitcat]

We usually have a guy named Gary Rohan that does that well.

Rohan is not a big forward.

 

[you pick one]

And Zuthrie did that more than once too I’d have thought.

I can't pick on him all the time.

 

[Heckler]

Why would Scott employ tactics in the first half that were essentially proven useless in 20/21?

Who is responsible for the stoppage strategy?

Lions have the best rated attack.
Scott is a strong defensive minded coach.
He would have emphasized to defend the D50
Andrews is an elite intercept defender
Scott would have said No long bombs forward
This translates as, slow down, avoid risk, be precise with kicks.
These instructions stop instinctive attacking play on quick game.
It was obvious the Cats had a defensive mindset from the outset.

 

[catempire]

Rohan is not a big forward.

Impressive, isn’t it?

 

[Taper]

That's my point. Scott gets praise for preparation when the team plays well, but rarely gets fingered when they lack spark. See, if they are such seasoned veterans as you say, why not just wind them up, point them at the field, and go to the beach?

Chris Scott has said he doesn't ask his players for effort because he expects them to bring effort and intensity every week as they're professional footballers.
It's why it's on the players when they don't bring the required effort and intensity.

 

[51niwstac]

Chris Scott has said he doesn't ask his players for effort because he expects them to bring effort and intensity every week as they're professional footballers.
It's why it's on the players when they don't bring the required effort and intensity.

Time to revise this lazy disposition as, post Selwood, that premise is moot.

 

[Oisin_the_Goat]

Without context you'd see under a 2 goal margin vs the top 4 lions at the GABBA and be pretty content with that.
But if anyone does, then they are kidding themselves, we were woeful until the lions stopped (which they tend to do, look at last week and multiple examples over the last 3 years).
Our first half was as bad decision making and execution I've seen from the Cats for a very long time.
Yeah we pushed them in the last quarter, but as usual we were hoping for a miracle comeback after being soundly beaten for 3 quarters and again fell short. Kind of 2021 type football and not close to good enough to threaten in finals.
Need to win 4/5 to finish the year to finish 5th, should make the second week but that's about our level this year.

Pretty sure we'd need to win 4/5 to even make the finals

 

[Kitcat]

Impressive, isn’t it?

No. He doesn’t take many pack marks. Hawkins takes none, and Cameron takes the occasional one.

 

[Mr Meow]

Some observations from the stands.

I don't agree with the posts about effort. The Gabba is a wide ground but the Lions made it it a really "skinny" game, so there was far more close, contested work than it looked like the Cats had expected and, more importantly, it was incredibly hard to find free players. look at how many hospital passes there were. Everything was jammed in very tight.

The Cats tried their usual ploy of trying to force exits from defence onto the wing but it just did not work - Lions came through the middle and had the talent to do so.

When the Cats managed to open out the game in the fourth quarter it looked completely different, but it was happening because there were players all over the ground, rather than being ranged in a 20- or 30-metre wide strip for the length of the ground as they had been until then. It is pure speculation, but it just looked like the game had not panned out as coaches had predicted and the players looked a bit lost/uncertain. but they cracked in, bloody hard, especially the smaller guys - Bruhn, Meiers, Close. Tommy Atkins perhaps a bit overwhelmed by his 100th?

The clearances were just a nightmare, which I'm sure was obvious also on tv. It was like we were hunting players and they the ball. Duncan played forward and back (in the first half he spent a lot of time on Lincoln) and Danger was off for a long time after the collision with Zorko, but gee we missed Guthrie senior. Blitz did an enormous amount of defensive work at the stoppages but it really was like Brisbane knew where Stanley was going to put it much better than we did.

There was a bit of friction between players, contrary to Scott's comment post game. It was hard to tell, at a distance, what was just keeping people accountable, and what was exasperation. But one very impressive thing: after Mullin had that goal kicked on him he was suddenly alone, in the midst of the celebrating Lions. Bowes saw it, and ran 30 metres to give him a word and a pat on the shoulder. Less impressively, no-one else did.

Cameron played in pain, regardless of the general fact that we try to protect players. Two clear pieces of evidence through binoculars, but I would rather not post details.

Thanks for your observations. Especially on Cameron. Accusations of lacking heart and not giving a crap when the team isn't in perfect synergy has been a bit much. His movement has looked proppy even before the Melbourne game. As far back as Richmond/Freo games and then has obviously worsened with further knocks.

That and a general downturn in form/confidence have him struggling. Still, nobody last night kicked as many goals or had more score involvements. Much better than Hawkins, for instance.

 

[Mr Meow]

Ultimately both sides were poor.

Classic game of two halves: Brisbane 12 scoring shots to 6 in the first half; Geelong 12 scoring shots to 7 in the second. We were all over them for large parts of the third quarter too, but three consecutive behinds from gettable chances before Hipwood's slingshot bomb from outside 50 killed us.

To put it simply, a side with better execution and conversion would've finished Brisbane off like Melbourne a week earlier and the narrative would be completely different.

Melbourne were awful for 75% of last week's game. Brisbane for 25% of that one. Both Geelong and Brisbane awful for 50% of yesterday's, and still somewhat hopeless looking when on top.

These sides are just not that great. Certainly not consistently. We remain every chance against those two in finals but Port and Collingwood look several classes above. Both are addicted to choking though, so the chance for an amusing twist still exists.

 

[Cataholic]

yeah a couple of bullit like passes from Smith straight to the opposition on a quick break with no Cat anywhere even close are burnt into my memory.

Hospital handpasses were a team effort too.

 

[Cataholic]

And Zuthrie did that more than once too I’d have thought.

Duncan too, from memory.

 

[Will_I_Am]

Almost pipped them after playing just the solitary quarter and managed to not let our % cop a hit. Crazy to think we lost by only 11 after that kind of performance - very strange game.

Was basically yawning in the stands the first three quarter. Lion crowd very quiet too. Lots of loudspeaker announcements and music between goals to try to up the noise. Other than the fourth quarter. The most lively the crowd got was when John Denver - "Take Me Home, Country Roads" died out at the bounce at some stage and the crowd kept singing in to the chorus, that was fun.

 

[Cataholic]

100%

Can’t make top 4 and zero chance of winning four finals in a row, three of which will need to be against top 4 teams.

The midfield issues are terminal.

Yeah, we'll just be making up the numbers come finals I think.

We're not a danger because our midfield can't produce consistently, and we can't play four quarters, against quality opposition.

On top of that Jezza is in terrible form, Stengle is almost anonymous, and Rohan is prone to injury.

 

[Jumping Jack]

I’m told Jezza has a “bung” shoulder. Shouldn’t be playing and will have surgery post season.

Can hardly lift it above shoulder height and whenever he’s tacked or goes to ground hard, the pain is pretty obvious.

Pushing hard to play on with it but I wouldn’t be expecting any late season heroics.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Cataholic]

I’m told Jezza has a “bung” shoulder. Shouldn’t be playing and will have surgery post season.

Can hardly lift it above shoulder height and whenever he’s tacked or goes to ground hard, the pain is pretty obvious.

Pushing hard to play on with it but I wouldn’t be expecting any late season heroics.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Makes sense that he's been carrying some sort of injury.

I know first hand what he's trying to play through. Credit to him.

 

[you pick one]

Was basically yawning in the stands the first three quarter. Lion crowd very quiet too. Lots of loudspeaker announcements and music between goals to try to up the noise. Other than the fourth quarter. The most lively the crowd got was when John Denver - "Take Me Home, Country Roads" died out at the bounce at some stage and the crowd kept singing in to the chorus, that was fun.

Plenty of noise when we were take a set shot at goal and banter on the shuttle bus on the way home, we were getting a bit of crap that being truthful was deserved but telling a bus full of Lions supporters they'd be dead set certainties to choke come finals again was probable not something I'd do again.

 

[Mr Meow]

Duncan too, from memory.

Memories are good for this sort of thing, but stats are better.

10 players for the match had 3 turnovers, including Duncan.

12 players had more turnovers than Duncan - 4 Geelong players and 8 Brisbane players.

Only 3 players had more effective disposals than Duncan, so a really nice ratio there.

3 turnovers from 23 disposals for Duncan (13% turnover rate). 78% disposal efficiency and 18 effective disposals. Equal 1st for score involvements.

4 turnovers from 25 disposals for Stewart (16% turnover rate). 80% disposal efficiency and 20 effective disposals. Equal 26th for score involvements.

4 turnovers from 16 disposals for Miers (25% turnover rate). 75% disposal efficiency and 12 effective disposals. Equal 9th for score involements.

6 turnovers from 24 disposals for Bowes (25% turnover rate). 63% disposal efficiency and 15 effective disposals. Equal first for score involvements.

7 turnovers from 18 disposals for Zuthrie (39% turnover rate). 72% disposal efficiency and 13 effective disposals. Equal 37th for score involvements.

Zuthrie easily the worst when comparing ratio of useful to poor disposals. Miers pretty disappointing too. Bowes somewhere in between. Duncan and Stewart two of our only good players on these ratios, while also being our leading ball winners. Both listed in the Geelong best players on the AFL website too (along with Bowes).

 

[Cataholic]

Memories are good for this sort of thing, but stats are better.

10 players for the match had 3 turnovers, including Duncan.

12 players had more turnovers than Duncan - 4 Geelong players and 8 Brisbane players.

Only 3 players had more effective disposals than Duncan, so a really nice ratio there.

3 turnovers from 23 disposals for Duncan (13% turnover rate). 78% disposal efficiency and 18 effective disposals. Equal 1st for score involvements.

4 turnovers from 25 disposals for Stewart (16% turnover rate). 80% disposal efficiency and 20 effective disposals. Equal 26th for score involvements.

4 turnovers from 16 disposals for Miers (25% turnover rate). 75% disposal efficiency and 12 effective disposals. Equal 9th for score involements.

6 turnovers from 24 disposals for Bowes (25% turnover rate). 63% disposal efficiency and 15 effective disposals. Equal first for score involvements.

7 turnovers from 18 disposals for Zuthrie (39% turnover rate). 72% disposal efficiency and 13 effective disposals. Equal 37th for score involvements.

Zuthrie easily the worst when comparing ratio of useful to poor disposals. Miers pretty disappointing too. Bowes somewhere in between. Duncan and Stewart two of our only good players on these ratios, while also being our leading ball winners. Both listed in the Geelong best players on the AFL website too (along with Bowes).

I thought we didn't have anything else to discuss?